Wednesday, October 30, 2013

by Catherine J. Frompovich as republished from Natural Blaze Money is being spent BIG time in offensives against GMO labeling bills introduced in various states. One humongous battle—over $7.2 Million worth and counting—that currently is going…

Thursday, October 24, 2013

Milk goats have often been described as the "poor man's cow." Now they're considered more sustainable than cows and more environment-friendly; they cost less to keep, and produce between a quart to a gallon of milk a day, depending on the breed. What's more, they make great pets, as they're friendly and outgoing. Here are some of the breeds to consider if you're looking for dairy goats.

Wednesday, October 23, 2013

Great news! I'm now officially a Mother Earth News Blogger! That means I'll be blogging a lot more and you'll hear more about my goat adventures. So without further ado, here is my current blog on Mother Earth News:

The phone rang at 10:00pm.

“You still want that goat?” the voice said.

“Uh, yeah,” I said, wondering why the person had called me so late. “I’m really not interested in buying the kid.”

“That’s okay,” she said. “I’ll trade you the nanny for some chickens.”

Tuesday, October 15, 2013

Eating more local seasonal foods is good for your health, and that of the planet. Here are some pros and cons of eating local and tips on how to include more local foods in season in your diet. Most supermarket shoppers find themselves chained to the…

I had wanted to dry herbs using a dehydrator after doing it by various means, including hanging the herbs and letting the airflow dry them. But a dehydrator is so much easier, quicker, and convenient. An added bonus is that the herbs don't lose their color from drying the way that hanging them does.

For years I resisted buying a dehydrator because of the cost. Paying $75 or more for something that basically does what air drying and a stove can do seemed extravagant. Now that I see what the dehydrator will do, I'm sold.

One thing I must do is mark what is being dried. Herbs look all the same when dried, so I had to taste them to tell the difference between mint and oregano. Next time, I'll be more clever. I dried oregano, mint, marjoram, thyme, parsley, rosemary and tarragon. I'm going to see if the basil in my fridge is any good and dry that.

Most herbs require being dried somewhere between 12 and 24 hours, with the exception of thyme and marjoram which supposedly need only 1 to 3 hours. According to the dehydrator, they needed to be at 105F, which the dehydrator does handily. I pulled them out this morning and tested the herbs for doneness. Some, like the cilantro, needed more time. Others were dry and ready to be put up in airtight containers. They claim they do best in cool, dark places, so I'm going to have to put them away someplace that meets that requirement.

If it all works out, I've just discovered a way to avoid buying certain herbs. While they aren't as expensive as they used to be, it gives me a greater value when I can just dry my own.